The Prime Minister’s “Plan for Change” speech set out key parameters by which to judge the government, taking up several front pages. But the Daily Telegraph says Sir Keir Starmer has “voided” two of his election promises, “amid signs that the economy is struggling in the wake of his tax-hike budget”. The paper said the PM had promised to meet 95% of energy needs from low-carbon sources by 2030, up from less than 100% previously. It said the resolve to achieve the highest economic growth in the G7 has become a “goal”.
The Prime Minister’s plans to boost housebuilding and reform Britain’s “ruined” planning system are leading the Times. Writing in the newspaper, the Prime Minister vowed to stop homes and infrastructure being “held to ransom” and attacked “obstructionists and bureaucrats” who have “stalled” economic growth. The newspaper says Starmer has asked ministers to draft plans to streamline environmental rules, which could add millions to the cost of development projects.
It highlights that Sir Keir has asked the public to evaluate his government on whether living standards are rising fast enough, and that the Prime Minister should “make the next election feel better to voters”. Has been described as “gambling”. A Downing Street source told the newspaper that “we want people to judge us on delivery” and called for Labor to be given the chance to lead “a decade of national renewal”.
The Daily Mail’s political sketch writer did not approve of Starmer’s speech and described it as “a bingo hall parade of debate and political stupidity”. In his column that appeared on the front page of the newspaper, Quentin Letts noted the “seven pillars”, “six milestones” and “five missions” and “three foundations” in comments, but also “a determination to cut migration Noted the absence of “target”.
The NHS is facing what Heath chiefs are describing as a “quad-demic” of emergencies this winter, with hospitals in England “busier than ever” at this time of year. The newspaper reports that the number of people in hospital suffering from flu has quadrupled compared to last year, while cases of Covid, norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus are also increasing.
The four major viruses threatening the health service are also at the forefront of the Daily Mirror, which reports that hospitals are “preparing for a flood of patients”. Experts have urged eligible people to get seasonal vaccinations, especially with the rise of Covid and RSV.
Metro’s front page is dedicated to the fatal shooting of a health care worker in New York. Under the headline “Smiling Killer” the newspaper carried two CCTV photographs, one of the attacker and another released by police, of a man in similar-looking clothing who authorities say is a person of interest. Metro reports that the “smiling gunman” left “a cryptic three-word message” by writing deny, deny and defend on the casings of the bullets used in the shooting, which it says was meant to “counter claims The title of a book highlighting the strategies used by companies is similar to “. ,
A plan by a French firm to lead the divestment of Thames Water assets before the company is publicly listed on the stock exchange is the lead story in the Financial Times. The newspaper says a bid from UK infrastructure company Covelis Capital could lead to water company Suez Water Company being appointed to manage the struggling utility, which is “buried in £19 billion of debt” and is due to collapse next year. There is a danger of running out of cash.
